When it comes to food, “excellence in Italy is usually the rule, not the exception” says Marco Colombo. The Italian-born developer of the Made in Italy app is fascinated by the techniques and traditions that have been passed down over generations.

He also believes that behind every great recipe or product there’s a quirky tale behind how they came to be; which is the premise of the Italian food app. Using video-story telling and articles to introduce food, regions and producers, Made in Italy is food shopping for the discerning, tech-savvy cook.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t convinced that the world needed this app. But once I started looking around I found myself lost in the stories, which is not at all surprising considering Colombo is a broadcast journalist, photographer and documentary maker by trade.

The quality of the content is a result of Colombo’s genuine enthusiasm for this project and the work of a skilled group of professionals that help him share his stories.

The problem is, the stories are so beautifully actualised and engaging that you might forget that you’re supposed to be buying food. Without links to purchase on some of the articles, finding your way to the virtual aisles can be a bit of a chore, but once you figure it out, it’s not too difficult to find your way around.

I can’t help but think that the aim of the game here is not so much to grab your cash, but to get you excited and enthused about authentic Italian food and eating.

The quality of the produce is firm, and the prices reflect this. This is not an app for someone who is content with Dolmio sauce on their spaghetti.

This app is for those who don’t have easy access to an Italian deli and want the sort of quality and curated selection of someone who knows what they’re doing.

It might seem like a strange concept to those who like their articles on a larger screen or newspaper print but the truth is that the gap is closing and smart phone apps are becoming a more popular way to browse, shop, and apparently, advocate Italian produce.

You can visit the app online or download it to your smart phone at Apple App Store, or for Android from Google Play.